Contact Information

Memberships

Current member of Safari Club International and the
local chapter Ohio Safari Club
Member of the International Guild of Taxidermy, earning their Master's
Certification
Member of the National Taxidermist Association, earning their Award
of Excellence and certification in Small Mammals, Gameheads,
and Large Mammals
Member of the NTA Judges Association, having judged numerous State
Taxidermy CompetitionsFor a more detailed list of my accomplishments, please check the Accomplishments
page.

Artist Profile

How does a kid from Brooklyn, New York, become a well-known wildlife
artist? Well, the same way you get to Carnegie Hall practice. I
came to the art of wildlife restoration not through hunting but because of early exposure
to the great works of this art seen in the exhibit halls of The American Museum of
Natural History. I would lose my little self in the magnificent lighted
dioramas of those dark halls, imagining myself not just in those habitats  watching
the animals from behind some tree or rock  but also in one day creating the kinds of
works I was admiring. Thus the seed was planted

My early excursion in this field came by way of the Northwestern
School of Taxidermy correspondence course: a twelve-week program that would teach me
"the secrets of taxidermy"! I mounted a lot of pigeons in those early
days.

Over the years, and through various employment situations at different
taxidermy firms, I honed and refined my skills and wildlife study abilities. I made
it my personal goal to learn as much as I could, if not more, about the subjects presented
to me for restoration.

Additionally, I refined my artistic abilities in oil painting.
Having done several small wildlife paintings as well as some pet portraits, I pursued
another love of mine. Painting portraits of thoroughbred racehorses was always a
quest I pursued. When I received my first paid commission to paint a racehorse, I
was floored. It was a small head portrait of a pretty good little
Thoroughbred. His name? Secretariat! What a
way to get started!!

This was the beginning of a long line of original oils I produced.
The most paintings I did of any one horse was also my all-time favorite: the first
undefeated Triple Crown winner in history to date  the great Seattle
Slew. I loved that horse so much I even allowed him to bite me one day
(actually it was Slew's idea). From the late Seventies to the early Eighties I
earned a living painting oil portraits of Thoroughbred racehorses. I painted
"the great and not-so-hot," as I used to say.

As the great horses were retired off to stud, lesser runners came up but
didn't quite hold together. Vet bills came ahead of art commissions for many a horse
owner. When the bottom fell out of New York racing for me, I fell back into wildlife
restoration. It has proven a very competitive but rewarding field with diversions
now leading me into the sculpture of mannikins for the industry and wildlife photography
 both in aesthetic and, more importantly, in reference.

As of late I have turned to picking up my brushes yet again, with several
wildlife paintings that are in the early stages of planning and development. Look
for them to be added to this web site as they are completed. Thanks for your
attention. JB.